Subfloor component and method of manufacturing same

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprises: providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, and including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face toward a second opposing face; placing a moisture-resistant film into the mold adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures; placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the moisture-resistant film opposite the pedestal-forming structures; applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes both the film and the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel with the moisture-resistant film fused thereto; removing the panel with the fused moisture-resistant film from the mold; and attaching a hardboard layer to the second face.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/412,038 entitled “SUBFLOOR COMPONENT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME” filed on Mar. 5, 2012, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The following is directed in general to building construction and renovation, and more particularly to a subfloor component and a method of manufacturing a subfloor component.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A subfloor component is a panel or other component meant to be placed on top of a concrete floor or other foundation before a finished floor of, for example, hardwood or tile is installed. The subfloor component may have projections for permitting the flow of moisture underneath the component so as to prevent moisture from standing underneath the subfloor component and causing problems with mold. While subfloor components of varying types are known, improvements are desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect, there is provided a subfloor component comprising an insulating foam panel having first and second opposing faces and a plurality of intersecting grooves to define, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals having walls that extend into the panel from the first face toward the second face; a moisture-resistant film attached to the first face of the panel and that conforms to the pedestals; and a hardboard layer on the second face of the panel.

Advantageously, the subfloor component has a moisture-resistant film that conforms to the pedestals of the panel, such the when the pedestals are facing downwards against, for example, a concrete floor, moisture can travel along the concrete floor between the pedestals (ie. along channels formed by the grooves of the panel and the concrete floor) without seeping into the foam of the panel itself

Enabling the moisture to travel along the channels enables drainage of the moisture that is on the concrete floor below the panel towards the edges of the panels, rather than form standing-water puddles on the concrete floor.

The attaching of the moisture-resistant film to the pedestals of the panel provides structural integrity to particularly the foam pedestals of the panel. Thus, while a subfloor component is being transported, or while the subfloor component is being compressed against, for example, a concrete floor during normal use, pieces of foam do not tend to break loose of the panel. In other words, the moisture-resistant film, in addition to preventing ingress of moisture into the panel, tends to keep the foam pedestals intact.

In one embodiment, the moisture-resistant film is fused to the panel, providing an even more integral structure.

The hardboard layer on the second surface of the panel provides a flat, integrated surface upon which to overlay further flooring made of wood, linoleum, ceramic, stone, cork, bamboo, eucalyptus or other material. The hardboard layer against the foam panel provides the combination of flatness, impact-absorption, sound absorption, insulation and resiliency suited well for floors in dwellings.

Multiple subfloor components may be installed on a concrete floor simply by setting them down on a concrete floor adjacent to each other, or even somewhat spaced from each other. However, in one embodiment, each subfloor component is shaped to connect to another subfloor component by way of tongues and grooves on respective edges of the hardboard layer. The subfloor components that are so interconnected can provide an overall more uniform surface flatness across subfloor components and discourage shifting of the subfloor components. This can be useful for overlaying further flooring. Other structures for interconnecting subfloor components may be employed. For example, pieces of dowel may be inserted into holes in the edges of the hardboard layers that are being installed adjacent to each other, with the dowel spanning between the adjacent subfloor components.

According to another aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming a panel having, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel; placing a moisture-resistant film into the mold against the pedestal-forming structures; placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the moisture-resistant film opposite the pedestal-forming structures; applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes both the film and the expanding beads to enter into conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel with the moisture-resistant film fused thereto; removing the panel with the fused moisture-resistant film from the mold; and attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.

As will be appreciated, having the beads and the film in the mold at the same time provides the opportunity for the film to fuse to the panel while the panel itself is being formed, and also causes the film to tightly conform to the pedestals at the same time. Providing fusing and conforming at the same time as panel formation is advantageous for expediting and simplifying the manufacturing of the subfloor component.

The heat-expandable beads may be expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads. The moisture-resistant film may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).

Attaching the hardboard layer may comprise applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel.

The hardboard layer may comprise material selected from the group consisting of OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board.

The method may further comprise shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.

The method may further comprise forming grooves on at least two sides of the hardboard layer, each groove for connecting to at least one connector. Each connector may be a connector strip comprising opposing tongues, the connector strip being configured for connecting adjacent subfloor components. The forming may comprise forming grooves on four sides of the hardboard layer.

According to another aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising: providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel; placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the pedestal-forming structures; applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel; placing a moisture-resistant film into the mold adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures; applying heat to the mold to fuse the film to the panel, the heat causing the film to enter into and conform to the pedestals and fuse thereto; removing the panel with the fused moisture-resistant film from the mold; and attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.

The heat-expandable beads may be expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads. The moisture-resistant film may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).

Attaching the hardboard layer may comprise applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel.

The hardboard layer may comprise material selected from the group consisting of OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board.

The method may further comprise shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.

The method may further comprise forming grooves on at least two sides of the hardboard layer, each groove for connecting to at least one connector. Each connector may be a connector strip comprising opposing tongues, the connector strip being configured for connecting adjacent subfloor components. The forming may comprise forming grooves on four sides of the hardboard layer.

According to another aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising: providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel; placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the pedestal-forming structures; applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel; removing the panel from the mold; placing a moisture-resistant film adjacent the first face of the panel; applying heat to one or both of the moisture-resistant film and the panel, the heat causing the film to enter into and conform to the pedestals and fuse thereto; and attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.

The placing may comprise placing the moisture-resistant film in contact with and/or in non-contact proximity with the first face of the panel.

The heat-expandable beads may be expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads. The moisture-resistant film may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of: high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).

Attaching the hardboard layer may comprise applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel.

The hardboard layer may comprise material selected from the group consisting of OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board.

The method may further comprise shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.

The method may further comprise forming grooves on at least two sides of the hardboard layer, each groove for connecting to at least one connector. Each connector may be a connector strip comprising opposing tongues, the connector strip being configured for connecting adjacent subfloor components. The forming may comprise forming grooves on four sides of the hardboard layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description of the preferred embodiment is set forth in detail below, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the underside of one embodiment of a subfloor component;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the subfloor component of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the subfloor component of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the subfloor component of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the subfloor component of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the underside of another embodiment of a subfloor component;

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the subfloor component of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the subfloor component of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an end view of the subfloor component of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the subfloor component of FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a subfloor component;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the subfloor component of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an end view of the subfloor component of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a top view of the subfloor component of FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a subfloor component;

FIG. 16 is a side view of the subfloor component of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is an end view of the subfloor component of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a top view of the subfloor component of FIG. 15;

FIG. 19 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a subfloor component;

FIG. 20 is a side view of the subfloor component of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is an end view of the subfloor component of FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is a top view of the subfloor component of FIG. 19;

FIG. 23 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a subfloor component;

FIG. 24 is a side view of the subfloor component of FIG. 22;

FIG. 25 is an end view of the subfloor component of FIG. 22;

FIG. 26 is a top view of the subfloor component of FIG. 22;

FIG. 27 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a subfloor component;

FIG. 28 is a side view of the subfloor component of FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is an end view of the subfloor component of FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is a top view of the subfloor component of FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a subfloor component;

FIG. 32 is a side view of the subfloor component of FIG. 31;

FIG. 33 is an end view of the subfloor component of FIG. 31;

FIG. 34 is a top view of the subfloor component of FIG. 31;

FIG. 35 is a perspective view of a moisture-resistant film layer being placed against pedestal-forming structures that are within one of the components of a mold structure during manufacture of the subfloor component of FIG. 1;

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of expandable polystyrene beads being poured into the mold structure atop the moisture-resistant film layer;

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of a mold structure being closed prior to applying heat to the mold;

FIG. 38 is a cutaway view of the end of the mold structure enclosing the moisture-resistant film layer and the expandable polystyrene beads while the mold structure is being heated;

FIG. 39 is a perspective view of the insulating foam panel having been formed with pedestals within the mold and the moisture-resistant film layer fused to the panel's pedestals;

FIG. 40 is a perspective view of the hardboard layer being aligned with the face of the insulating foam panel that is opposite to the panel's pedestals;

FIG. 41 is a perspective view of the subfloor component having been formed;

FIG. 42 is a flowchart of steps for manufacturing a subfloor component;

FIG. 43 is a perspective view of expandable polystyrene beads being poured into a mold structure, and against pedestal-forming structures within the mold structure, during manufacture of the subfloor component of FIG. 1, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 44 is a perspective view of the mold structure being closed prior to applying heat to the mold;

FIG. 45 is a cutaway view of the end of the mold structure enclosing the expandable polystyrene beads while the mold structure is being heated;

FIG. 46 is a perspective view of a moisture-resistant film layer placed against the pedestal-forming structures within the mold structure, and the insulating foam panel being placed against the moisture-resistant film layer;

FIG. 47 is a flowchart of steps for manufacturing a subfloor component, according to the embodiment of FIGS. 43 to 46;

FIG. 48 is a perspective view of a moisture-resistant film layer being placed against an insulating foam panel during manufacture of the subfloor component of FIG. 1, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 49 is a flowchart of steps for manufacturing a subfloor component, according to the embodiment of FIG. 48; and

FIG. 50 is an exploded side view of a portion two subfloor components according to another embodiment, and a connector strip therebetween.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIGS. 1 through 5, there is shown a subfloor component 10 according to an embodiment. Subfloor component 10 is rectangular in shape, and includes a hardboard panel 12, an insulating foam panel 14, and a moisture-resistant film 16. The insulating foam panel 14 includes first and second opposing faces. Multiple intersecting grooves in the first face define, in cross-section, multiple pedestals 17 that have walls that extend into the insulating foam panel 14 from the first face toward the second face. The moisture-resistant film 16 is attached to the first face of the panel and conforms to the pedestals 17. The hardboard layer 12 is on the second face of the panel, which is opposite the panel 14 from the first face.

In this embodiment, the hardboard panel 12 is oriented strand board (OSB), a material well-known to be employed in building construction. Also in this embodiment, the insulating foam panel 14 is formed of expanded polystyrene (EPS), and the hardboard panel 12 is glued to the insulating foam panel 14. Furthermore, in this embodiment the moisture-resistant film 16 is a thin layer of high-impact polystyrene.

In this embodiment, the moisture-resistant film 16 is fused to the insulating foam panel 14 such that the moisture-resistant film 16 is affixed to the top and wall of the pedestals 17 as well as to the bottom of the grooves. The subfloor component 10 is to be placed on a foundation floor or other such structure with the pedestals 17 downwards and with the moisture-resistant film 16 between the insulating foam layer 14 and the foundation floor. Moisture on the foundation floor is able to pass between the pedestals 17 and can contact the moisture-resistant film 16 in order to drain away from underneath the subfloor component 10. The moisture-resistant film layer 16 effectively resists the passage of moisture into the insulating foam panel 14 from the foundation floor thereby keeping the insulating foam panel 14 suitably dry.

The fusing of the moisture-resistant film 16 and the insulating foam panel 14 enables the pedestals 17 to which the moisture-resistant film is conforming to have increased resistance to breakage. As would be understood, as useful as expanded EPS is for insulation, it can be brittle. In this embodiment, the pedestals 17, which are shaped as squares, each have four (4) walls meeting at four (4) edges and four (4) top corners. Particularly the top corners and also the edges are most prone to being broken away during transportation, installation, or usage. The present inventor has discovered that, particularly for a subfloor component 10 that will be experiencing various physical pressures from above, advantages are gained by employing a moisture-resistant film 16 that not only resists moisture reaching the insulating foam panel 16 but conforms to the pedestals in order to provide drainage and also increase the structural integrity of the pedestals 17. In this way, physical pressures both during construction (workers, wheel barrows, other machinery) and when construction is complete (home owners, employees, couches, filing cabinets etc.) can be better withstood by the pedestals 17.

In this embodiment, the walls of the intersecting grooves have a height of about 15 millimetres, giving the pedestals 17 a corresponding height. However, other heights are possible. For example, other embodiments may provide heights of between about 15 millimetres to about 20 millimetres. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the intersecting grooves have a width of about 15 millimetres, giving the pedestals 17 a corresponding spacing. However, other widths are possible. For example, other embodiments may provide widths of between about 15 millimetres to about 20 millimetres. It will be understood that having all grooves have the same width is not required.

While the above-described subfloor component 10 can be useful for many purposes, the present inventor has also developed additional embodiments. For example, FIGS. 6 through 10 show a subfloor component 10 a according to another embodiment. Subfloor component 10 a is square in shape, and includes a hardboard panel 12 a, an insulating foam panel 14 a, and a moisture-resistant film 16 a. Like the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 through 5, the insulating foam panel 14 a includes first and second opposing faces. Multiple intersecting grooves in the first face define, in cross-section, multiple pedestals 17 a that have walls that extend into the insulating foam panel 14 a from the first face toward the second face. The moisture-resistant film 16 a is attached to the first face of the panel and conforms to the pedestals 17 a. The hardboard layer 12 a is on the second face of the panel, which is opposite the panel 14 a from the first face. As can be seen, subfloor component 10 a is similar to subfloor component 10, but is square instead of rectangular.

FIGS. 11 through 14 show a subfloor component 10 b according to another embodiment. Subfloor component 10 b is square in shape, and includes a hardboard panel 12 b, an insulating foam panel 14 b, and a moisture-resistant film 16 b. Like the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 through 5, the insulating foam panel 14 b includes first and second opposing faces. Multiple intersecting grooves in the first face define, in cross-section, multiple pedestals 17 b that have walls that extend into the insulating foam panel 14 b from the first face toward the second face. The moisture-resistant film 16 b is attached to the first face of the panel and conforms to the pedestals 17 b. The hardboard layer 12 b is on the second face of the panel, which is opposite the panel 14 b from the first face. As can be seen, subfloor component 10 b is similar to subfloor component 10, but is square instead of rectangular. Furthermore, each of the pedestals 17 b are circular, rather than square. The pedestals 17 b being circular means that each pedestal 17 b only has one wall, and thus there are no top corners. Because pedestal 17 b does not have any top corners, breakage due to handling or use of the subfloor component 10 b is even less likely.

FIGS. 15 through 18 show a subfloor component 10 c according to another embodiment. Subfloor component 10 c is square in shape, and includes a hardboard panel 12 c, an insulating foam panel 14 c, and a moisture-resistant film 16 c. Like the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 through 5, the insulating foam panel 14 c includes first and second opposing faces. Multiple intersecting grooves in the first face define, in cross-section, multiple pedestals 17 c that have walls that extend into the insulating foam panel 14 c from the first face toward the second face. The moisture-resistant film 16 c is attached to the first face of the panel and conforms to the pedestals 17 c. The hardboard layer 12 c is on the second face of the panel, which is opposite the panel 14 c from the first face. As can be seen, subfloor component 10 c is similar to subfloor component 10, but is square instead of rectangular. Furthermore, each of the pedestals 17 c are oval-shaped, rather than square. The pedestals 17 c being oval-shaped means that each pedestal 17 c only has one wall, and thus there are no top corners. Because pedestal 17 c does not have any top corners, breakage due to handling or use of the subfloor component 10 c is less likely.

FIGS. 19 through 22 show a subfloor component 10 d according to another embodiment. Subfloor component 10 d is square in shape, and includes a hardboard panel 12 d, an insulating foam panel 14 d, and a moisture-resistant film 16 d. Like the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 through 5, the insulating foam panel 14 d includes first and second opposing faces. Multiple intersecting grooves in the first face define, in cross-section, multiple pedestals 17 d that have walls that extend into the insulating foam panel 14 d from the first face toward the second face. The moisture-resistant film 16 d is attached to the first face of the panel and conforms to the pedestals 17 d. The hardboard layer 12 a is on the second face of the panel, which is opposite the panel 14 d from the first face. As can be seen, subfloor component 10 d is similar to subfloor component 10, but is square instead of rectangular. Furthermore, there are two different sizes of pedestals 17 d, namely a thin rectangle and a thick rectangle.

FIGS. 23 through 26 show a subfloor component 10 d according to another embodiment. Subfloor component 10 e is square in shape, and includes a hardboard panel 12 e, an insulating foam panel 14 e, and a moisture-resistant film 16 e. Like the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 through 5, the insulating foam panel 14 e includes first and second opposing faces. Multiple intersecting grooves in the first face define, in cross-section, multiple pedestals 17 e that have walls that extend into the insulating foam panel 14 e from the first face toward the second face. The moisture-resistant film 16 e is attached to the first face of the panel and conforms to the pedestals 17 e. The hardboard layer 12 e is on the second face of the panel, which is opposite the panel 14 e from the first face. As can be seen, subfloor component 10 e is similar to subfloor component 10, but is square instead of rectangular. Furthermore, the pedestals 17 e are diamond-shaped.

FIGS. 27 through 30 show a subfloor component 10 f according to another embodiment. Subfloor component 10 f is square in shape, and includes a hardboard panel 12 f, an insulating foam panel 14 f, and a moisture-resistant film 16 f. Like the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 through 5, the insulating foam panel 14 f includes first and second opposing faces. Multiple intersecting grooves in the first face define, in cross-section, multiple pedestals 17 f that have walls that extend into the insulating foam panel 14 f from the first face toward the second face. The moisture-resistant film 16 f is attached to the first face of the panel and conforms to the pedestals 17 f The hardboard layer 12 f is on the second face of the panel, which is opposite the panel 14 f from the first face. As can be seen, subfloor component 10 f is similar to subfloor component 10, but is square instead of rectangular. Furthermore, the pedestals 17 f are all rectangles.

FIGS. 31 through 34 show a subfloor component 10 g according to another embodiment. Subfloor component 10 g is square in shape, and includes a hardboard panel 12 g, an insulating foam panel 14 g, and a moisture-resistant film 16 g. Like the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 through 5, the insulating foam panel 14 g includes first and second opposing faces. Multiple intersecting grooves in the first face define, in cross-section, multiple pedestals 17 g that have walls that extend into the insulating foam panel 14 g from the first face toward the second face. The moisture-resistant film 16 g is attached to the first face of the panel and conforms to the pedestals 17 g. The hardboard layer 12 g is on the second face of the panel, which is opposite the panel 14 g from the first face. As can be seen, subfloor component 10 g is similar to subfloor component 10, but is square instead of rectangular. Furthermore, the pedestals 17 g are all hexagons.

It will be understood that a subfloor component with pedestals of different shapes, including others not disclosed above, or mixtures of differently-shaped pedestals such as those described above, may be provided.

The various subfloor components described herein may generally be used alongside each other in a particular installation, provided that the overall thicknesses of two different panels are similar, and provided that using differently-shaped pedestals in two different subfloor components does not unduly impede the flow of moisture beneath the subfloor components. In one embodiment, subfloor components have tongue and groove configurations along the edges which abut against each other, such that the tongue of one panel can be received within the groove of the adjacent panel. The tongues/grooves may have square, rectangular configurations with or without rounded distal corners. The tongue and groove configuration may be formed prior to, or after, attaching the hardboard panel to the insulating foam panel.

FIG. 42 shows a flowchart of steps of a method of manufacturing a subfloor component such as subfloor component 10 described above. The treatment of the materials involved in the steps are illustrated in FIGS. 35 through 41. In FIG. 35, a mold structure is shown have a top portion 50 and a bottom portion 52. It will be understood that the terms top and bottom may be interchanged with left and right, for example, in the case of a mold structure that stands vertically.

First, a generally-flat piece of moisture-resistant film 16 is placed within the bottom portion 52 of the mold structure on top of and therefore adjacent to pedestal-forming structures 54 (step 100), as shown in FIG. 35. The pedestal forming structures 52 are part of the mold structure and have a shape corresponding to the shape of the desired pedestals 17. With the moisture-resistant film 16 adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures 54, heat-expandable beads 56 are then placed into the mold structure on top of the moisture-resistant film 16 (step 200), as shown in FIG. 36. The heat-expandable beads are thus placed against a side of the moisture-resistant film 16 that is opposite the pedestal forming structures 54. As shown in FIG. 37, with the moisture-resistant film 16 and the heat-expandable beads 56 within the mold structure between top 50 and bottom 52 portions, the mold structure is then closed. At this point, heat is then applied to the mold structure (step 300) so as to cause the heat-expandable beads 56 to expand and fuse together. While the heat-expandable beads 56 are expanding to form the insulating foam panel 14, the pressure of the expansion causes both the moisture-resistant film 16 and the expanding beads 56 to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures 54, as shown in the cutaway view of FIG. 38. The moisture-resistant film being of high-impact polystyrene fuses at its surface under the applied heat to the facing surface of the insulating foam panel 14 being formed.

With the insulating foam panel 14 having been formed with pedestals 17 and having been fused to moisture-resistant film 16, as shown in FIG. 39, the combination is then removed from the mold structure (step 400). As shown in FIGS. 40 and 41, the hardboard layer 12 is then adhered to the combination that was removed from the mold structure, thereby to form the subfloor component 10.

Other methods may be used to manufacture a subfloor component, such as the subfloor component 10 described above. For example, FIG. 47 shows a flowchart of steps of a method of manufacturing a subfloor component such as subfloor component 10 described above. The treatment of the materials involved in some of the steps is illustrated in FIGS. 43 through 46. In FIG. 43, a mold structure is shown as having a top portion 50 and a bottom portion 52. It will be understood that the terms top and bottom may be interchanged with left and right, for example, in the case of a mold structure that stands vertically.

First, heat-expandable beads 56 are placed into the mold structure within the bottom portion 52 of the mold structure on top of and therefore adjacent to pedestal-forming structures 54 (step 610), as shown in FIG. 43. As shown in FIG. 44, with the heat-expandable beads 56 within the mold structure between top 50 and bottom 52 portions, the mold structure is then closed. At this point, heat is then applied to the mold structure (step 620) so as to cause the heat-expandable beads 56 to expand and fuse together. While the heat-expandable beads 56 are expanding to form the insulating foam panel 14, the pressure of the expansion causes the expanding beads 56 to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures 54, as shown in the cutaway view of FIG. 45.

With the insulating foam panel 14 having been formed with pedestals 17, the mold structure is then opened and a generally-flat piece of moisture-resistant film 16 is placed within the bottom portion 52 of the mold structure on top of and therefore adjacent to pedestal-forming structures 54 (step 630), and under the pedestals 17 of the insulating foam panel 14, as shown in FIG. 46. With the moisture-resistant film 16 within the mold structure between the insulating foam panel 14 and bottom portion 52, the mold structure is then closed either partially or completely. Heat is applied to the mold structure (step 640) so as to cause the moisture-resistant film 16 to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures 54 and to the pedestals 17. The moisture-resistant film being of high-impact polystyrene fuses at its surface under the applied heat to the facing surface of the insulating foam panel 14.

With the insulating foam panel 14 having been fused to moisture-resistant film 16, the combination is then removed from the mold structure (step 650). The hardboard layer 12 is then adhered to the combination that was removed from the mold structure (step 660), thereby to form the subfloor component 10.

Still other methods may be used to manufacture a subfloor component, such as the subfloor component 10 described above. For example, FIG. 49 shows a flowchart of steps of a method of manufacturing a subfloor component such as subfloor component 10 described above.

First, heat-expandable beads 56 are placed into the mold structure within the bottom portion 52 of the mold structure on top of and therefore adjacent to pedestal-forming structures 54 (step 710), as described above and with reference to FIG. 43. With the heat-expandable beads 56 within the mold structure between top 50 and bottom 52 portions, the mold structure is then closed. Again, it will be understood that the terms top and bottom may be interchanged with left and right, for example, in the case of a mold structure that stands vertically. At this point, heat is then applied to the mold structure (step 720) so as to cause the heat-expandable beads 56 to expand and fuse together. While the heat-expandable beads 56 are expanding to form the insulating foam panel 14, the pressure of the expansion causes the expanding beads 56 to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures 54, as described above and with reference to FIG. 45.

With the insulating foam panel 14 having been formed with pedestals 17, the mold is then opened and the insulating foam panel 14 is then removed from the mold structure (step 730). A generally-flat piece of moisture-resistant film 16 is placed adjacent the tops of the pedestals 17 of the insulating foam panel 14 (step 740). It will be understood that the moisture-resistant film 16 may be placed in contact with and/or in non-contact proximity with tops of the pedestals 17 of the insulating foam panel 14. Heat is then applied to one or both of the moisture-resistant film 16 and the insulating foam panel 14 (step 750), so as to cause the moisture-resistant film 16 to enter into and conform to the pedestals 17 of the insulating foam panel 14. The moisture-resistant film being of high-impact polystyrene fuses at its surface under the applied heat to the facing surface of the insulating foam panel 14. During this step, the heat may be applied by any suitable heat source, such as for example a hot air blower, one or more heating elements, an oven, and the like.

With the insulating foam panel 14 having been fused to moisture-resistant film 16, the hardboard layer 12 is then adhered to the combination that was removed from the mold structure (step 750), thereby to form the subfloor component 10.

Although in embodiments described above, the subfloor components have tongue and groove configurations along the edges which abut against each other, in other embodiments, other configurations may be used. For example, in other embodiments, the subfloor components may alternatively have grooves along the edges, and with each groove being configured to receive a connector for connecting adjacent subfloor components. The connector may be, for example, a longitudinal connector strip comprising opposing tongues, with each tongue being shaped to be received by a respective groove.

For example, FIG. 50 shows two adjacent subfloor components 10, each subfloor component 10 including a hardboard panel 12, an insulating foam panel 14, and a moisture-resistant film (not shown). The insulating foam panel 14 includes first and second opposing faces, with multiple intersecting grooves in the first face defining, in cross-section, multiple pedestals (not shown), as in subfloor component 10 described above and with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. Each hardboard panel 12 has two (2) grooves 882 formed therein on opposing sides. In this embodiment, the adjacent subfloor components 10 are configured to be connected by a connector in the form of a longitudinal connector strip 890. The connector strip 890 comprises two (2) opposing tongues 894, with each tongue 894 being shaped to be received by a respective groove 882 for connecting the adjacent subfloor components 10.

Although in the embodiment shown in FIG. 50, there are grooves formed along two (2) opposing sides of the hardboard panel, in other embodiments, there may alternatively be grooves formed along the four (4) sides of the hardboard panel. The grooves may be formed prior to, or after, attaching the hardboard panel to the insulating foam panel.

The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention that fall within the true purpose of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact operation illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the purpose and scope of the invention.

For example, the moisture-resistant film may be made of other materials, such as polyethylene, or ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). Furthermore, materials for the hardboard layer may be selected from plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board. Other materials, provided that they may be adhered to the insulating foam panel and provide a suitable amount of rigidity, may be employed for a hardboard layer.

Furthermore, while in the embodiments disclosed above the pedestals are generally uniformly distributed across the insulating foam panel, alternatives may be provided having pedestals that are not so uniformly distributed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising: providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel; placing a moisture-resistant film into the mold adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures; placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the moisture-resistant film opposite the pedestal-forming structures; applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes both the film and the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel with the moisture-resistant film fused thereto; removing the panel with the fused moisture-resistant film from the mold; and attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat-expandable beads are expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the moisture-resistant film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the hardboard layer comprises applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the hardboard layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of: OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming grooves on at least two sides of said hardboard layer, each groove for connecting to at least one connector.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein each connector is a connector strip comprising opposing tongues, the connector strip being configured for connecting adjacent subfloor components.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein said forming comprises forming grooves on four sides of said hardboard layer.
 10. A method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising: providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel; placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the pedestal-forming structures; applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel; placing a moisture-resistant film into the mold adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures; applying heat to the mold to fuse the film to the panel, the heat causing the film to enter into and conform to the pedestals and fuse thereto; removing the panel with the fused moisture-resistant film from the mold; and attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the heat-expandable beads are expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the moisture-resistant film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein attaching the hardboard layer comprises applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the hardboard layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of: OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board.
 15. The method of claim 10, further comprising: shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.
 16. The method of claim 10, further comprising: forming grooves on at least two sides of said hardboard layer, each groove for connecting to at least one connector.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein each connector is a connector strip comprising opposing tongues, the connector strip being configured for connecting adjacent subfloor components.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein said forming comprises forming grooves on four sides of said hardboard layer.
 19. A method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising: providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel; placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the pedestal-forming structures; applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel; removing the panel from the mold; placing a moisture-resistant film adjacent the first face of the panel; applying heat to one or both of the moisture-resistant film and the panel, the heat causing the film to enter into and conform to the pedestals and fuse thereto; and attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said placing comprises placing the moisture-resistant film in contact with and/or in non-contact proximity with the first face of the panel.
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the heat-expandable beads are expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the moisture-resistant film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).
 23. The method of claim 19, wherein attaching the hardboard layer comprises applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel.
 24. The method of claim 19, wherein the hardboard layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of: OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board.
 25. The method of claim 19, further comprising: shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.
 26. The method of claim 19, further comprising: forming grooves on at least two sides of said hardboard layer, each groove for connecting to at least one connector.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein each connector is a connector strip comprising opposing tongues, the connector strip being configured for connecting adjacent subfloor components.
 28. The method of claim 26, wherein said forming comprises forming grooves on four sides of said hardboard layer. 